Most of the fields are self-explanatory, however we've clarified a few below. As always, reach out to us with any questions at shrcollective@pm.me
Project Title:
The name of the Album/EP/Single/Record to be pressed.
Cassette Quantity:
How many cassette units you wish to have pressed in the batch.
Tape Formulation:
Which formula of magnetic tape you prefer loaded in each cassette. These consist of Type I and Type II Hi-Bias.Type I is more widely available and is the popular choice due to costs. Type II is more tricky to source nowadays, with limited options in our suppliers catalog. It usually yeilds higher sound fidelity/quality then type I. (Not all cassette players support type II; there must be a manual 120 µS EQ switch or automatic shell indent sensors on the deck in order to accurately reproduce the frequency spectrum.) If you need assistance deciding on the ideal tape formulation, please contact us and we can help.
Cassette Shell Style:
Please specify which shell style you prefer from the provided catalogs. Click on the individual icons to view the shell designs. Once you find one, provide the description and SKU [i.e. 'Magnolia (c0-tonrmagnoliasw)'] in the field corresponding to the preferred tape formulation.
The catalogs for bulk runs (70+) and Type II tapes are different. For bulk runs of either type, you may choose to have us source through NAC (National Audio Company). We ask this be only for runs of 70 or more cassettes, as the cartons come in counts of 100 for both Type I and II. *Please note at this time we are only pressing batches up to 100 tapes at a time. You may always submit another order for a following edition, with return-client discounts in tow. However, if ordering anywhere from 70-100 tapes, feel free to have us source through NAC. Any leftovers from the 100 cartons will go to surplus and you won't be charged for those.
For runs of any quantity, bulk or otherwise, the Type II catalog through Duplication Canada will have more design options, but the tape lengths are at set durations and stock may be limited. Please ensure if you do find a design there that the tape length is compatible with the total durations of your project. If your choice goes out of stock, we can work with you to find the next best solution.
Occasionally we will have matching surplus tapes of your desired duration and design. In such a case, there'll be a 10% discount applied for supplies we already have on hand.
**If Self-Providing cassettes, leave the field blank. We'll arrange with you to transfer the cassettes to us by drop-off or parcel.
Case Style:
Same as above; Choose your preferred case style from the Duplication Canada catalog. They have the basics as well as some matching or coordinating colors for your artwork or the chosen shell style. Please note the two kinds of cases we always have in stock are their clear Norelco Style and clear Vintage (square edge) Norelco style. If you choose either of those, there will be no extra shipping costs.
**If you don't desire cases, leave the field blank. Or, if self-providing cases, you may hand them over if you'd like us to package up the cassettes ourselves, or choose to DIY it after you recieve your batch.
In-House Printed J-Cards:
We offer full-color printing services in case you desire J-Cards. If so, we'll provide you a template to apply your artwork and design your J cards with. If you've already done this, feel free to provide us your completed design in PDF or JPG format (being sure the dimensions are proper for cases). If you prefer to DIY the J-Cards or don't desire them, please choose the 'No' option.
In-House Printed Shell Labels:
We offer full-color adhesive shell labels that fit on most cassette shell options. We'll provide you a template for our specific layout if you desire these. Please allow at least 1/8" of bleed past each label outline. Don't worry about covering the center holes. You may choose to have the labels applied to side A only or to Both Sides. Please indicate on the label designs or somewhere on the template which labels are for which sides. Once you have filled out the template, return it to us in PDF or JPG format.
*As always, if you prefer to DIY these or don't desire them, please choose the 'No Labels' option. In this case we will apply tape markers on the cassettes to indicate which side is which (these are easily removeable)
Process:
The method of how we record your source material to the cassettes. The popular method is to provide us digital files (preferrably .WAV in the original sample rate/bit depth, or the highest quality available otherwise). We record into the machines through our high end Antelope Audio D/A converters in this method. This will yield the crispest and best possible sound quality in the finished batch.
The other option is to provide us with a master cassette tape with your source material. If choosing this option, it is best to provide a Hi-Bias cassette to prevent more quality loss than necessary. However we can work with any tape type and ensure we achieve the best quality results. If providing your own tape, make sure you have the original or at the very least some sort of backup, as we cannot be held liable for any damages the the master.
Media Contents:
For each side, please list the song names (or at least song numbers) and their respective durations in MM:SS. This is so we can calculate the durations for tape length. We realize you probably have already done this, but it is much more convinient to double check on our end than to accidentally order the wrong tape length. Some people choose to make Side A the longer side duration for seamless playback when flipping it over. This isn't always the case, of course; no big deal. The thing to remember here is that the longer of the two sides determines the tape length. In most cases tape lenthgs are cut by single-minute increments. The longer side duration will be rounded to the next safest minute to determine the tape length. The shorter of the two sides will have however much time difference as silence.
*If you prefer to not list the indidual song durations, please at least include the total duration per side. We will take your word for it, though.
**if you are pressing a Single/short duration, or prefer to have the media on one side only, please fill out side-A only. Side B will be left blank.
Furthermore, we have had some jobs request recording the same material on both sides, for the most seamless playback. If desired, please copy and paste the same tracks for both sides. Total tape length will be the rounded up length of the entire project in this case.
Semi-Gloss Stickers:
If desired, we include stickers with your design included with each run if desired, 1 per tape, printed on semi-gloss sticker paper. Please provide us with your design, either by fitting as many as possible on a Letter (8.5 by 11") size PDF or JPG, or providing an individual design. If providing an individual design, please make clear where the border is for best placement for printing. You may choose to have us cut the stickers in-house for quantities of 50 or less, as long as there is a clear border provided for cutting. If there is no border and/or you don't choose in-house cuts, we can still print the sheets uncut to provide you with.
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